Thanks to a poaching tip, a 35-year-old Rowan County man could face 24 years behind bars and $48,000 in fines if found guilty of the illegal killing of 48 deer.
Kevin Watkins also faces numerous drug charges when the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife officers went to his residence and allegedly discovered seven marijuana plants, indoor grow lights, a cloning system, 16 bags of processed marijuana totaling nearly one-half pound, more than 100 pills in plastic bags, four sets of weighing scales, 19 firearms and $1,251 in cash.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Capt. Paul Teague said it all began with an anonymous tip to Conservation Officer Glen Kitchen concerning three illegal kills in Rowan County.
“It’s just not right to go out and illegally kill animals,” said Conservation Officer Shane Ratcliff. “Everyone must follow the rules. The good people do. But when it’s time for scheduled hunting seasons, people who sit up in the woods all night with spotlights have poached many of the deer population. As for those who do this, most of them don’t even have jobs and the biggest percent are also into drugs.”
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officers mean business when it comes to poaching and will continue to protect the rights of sportsmen while tracking down illegal hunting activities, Ratcliff said.
“For each deer illegally killed a person can be fined anywhere from $100 to $1,000,” Teague commented Monday. “The punishment also includes six month in jail for each deer.”
During the search of Watkins’ residence and property, Kitchen, Teague, Sgt. Herb Bloom and Conservation Officers Loren Clark and Andrew Black seized 94 antlers.
Watkins is charged with illegally killing deer, cultivating and trafficking in marijuana and drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, pills in improper containers and trapping without a license.
He was released from the Rowan County Detention Center after posting a $7,500 full-cash bond. His arraignment is scheduled for March 11 at 9 a.m. in Rowan County District Court.
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